"To prop up the feeble growth, Fed officials in December said they expected to keep short-term rates near zero until the unemployment rate falls to 6.5% or lower. At 7.8% in December, the unemployment rate remains above historic norms."

"These arbitrary, automatic cuts were a creation and demand of the White House in 2011," said Buck. "Twice the House has passed legislation to replace them with common sense cuts and reforms. If there was any uncertainty late last year about the sequester, it was because the Democratic-controlled Senate, per usual, never lifted a finger to pass a plan to replace it.”

"These arbitrary, automatic cuts were a creation and demand of the White House in 2011," said Buck. "Twice the House has passed legislation to replace them with common sense cuts and reforms. If there was any uncertainty late last year about the sequester, it was because the Democratic-controlled Senate, per usual, never lifted a finger to pass a plan to replace it.”